Aristides Rivas
A unique mix of talents, Grammy nominated cellist Aristides Rivas embodies a rich culture from South America and combines it with a Western European repertoire to delight audiences. The exquisite balance of sounds, storytelling, and sometimes flavors, invites you to a new experience of live concerts. Rivas’ multi-style career has brought him to share the stage with world renown artists such as Latin jazz legend Paquito D’Rivera, Yo-Yo Ma, and jazz virtuosic guitarist Julian Lage. He has performed at a wide range of international music venues and festivals such as Caramoor Music Festival, Tanglewood, Carnegie Hall, Newport and Montreal Jazz Festivals, the Barbican in England, Sejong Center in South Korea, and Teatro Colon in Argentina, among many others. Rivas is a cello faculty at California Baptist University. For more information, visit www.aristidesrivas.com
Meena Malik
Meena Malik (she/her) is a musician, arts consultant, conflict mediator and coach. The founder of Magpie Cultural Strategies, Meena is actively engaged in a national community of practice for anti-oppression work in the arts. She is an alumna of the artEquity Facilitator Training, a member of the Emergent Strategy Ideation Institute Facilitation Cohort and a Senior Associate of The Aspire Group. Meena organized and led “Beyond Orientalism: The Boston Forum” and is a co-founder and steering committee member of Boston’s first API (Asian Pacific Islander) Arts Network.
Meena has worked in the performing arts community as facilitator, grant panelist, educator, speaker, mediator, coach and consultant with organizations such as Network of Ensemble Theaters, MAP Fund, The Boston Foundation, City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles, and many others.
Meena has a multifaceted performing career spanning many genres. She was a founding member and performer with Voci Angelica Trio, an international band that created a musical fusion of world folk and classical music, for 14 years. Meena has toured to the USA’s East Coast, Midwest and Southern regions, Canada, Japan, and South Korea.
Meena is a member of Women of Color in the Arts and the Network for Arts Administrators of Color, and has served as a mentor in NAAC’s Mentorship Program. She is currently participating in the Intercultural Leadership Institute as a fellow. Meena holds a Masters in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory and a Masters in Arts Administration from Boston University.
